This invention relates to an apparatus for compacting metal shavings and the like; more particularly, the invention relates to a dual chamber compactor utilizing opposing pistons in the compaction process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,069, issued Feb. 21, 1995, discloses a single cylinder apparatus for compacting metal shavings; and the present invention is an improvement over this prior patent.
In industrial manufacturing shops it is common to utilize various types of metal cutting equipment to cut and shape metal for manufactured finished products. Such equipment utilizes cutting machines in combination with a fluid bath to produce a finished product, leaving a residue of waste consisting of a significant quantity of metal shavings, chips and fluid. The prior-referenced patent discloses an apparatus for compacting this residue, thereby squeezing excess fluid from the residue for collection and compacting the shavings and other metal residue into high density metal pellets. The metal pellets may be ejected from the machine and collected for recycling and the fluid squeezed from the residue is collected, filtered and returned to the machine for reuse.
The present invention effectively doubles the capacity of the device described in the prior patent by utilizing a single-cylinder pre-compaction device operated in reciprocal mode, in conjunction with a pair of compactor pistons, all placed along a common axis. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a device for compacting metal shavings and the like with an increased load capacity and operating speed over the prior art.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a pre-compacting device utilizing a single cylinder aligned along an axis with two opposed reciprocal piston rods for driving pistons in respectively opposite directions in aligned compaction chambers.